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What materials did you use?My special bolt of black/lime green peace sign batik, Scientific Symbols on Donald Duck Yellow background (found at Goodwill for 99 cents), and various other green and yellow prints.
Cotton batting, black/yellow ivory cotton print for backing. Queen Size - Quilted on a Long Arm Machine

What are you most proud of?Truth: I never work on more than one project at a time.
I listen to music while I practice McTavish and circles in the border on this quilt. I drew and quilted simple pairs of leaves puffed up by stippling around them. I stopped to dance a bit--when Martha and the Vandellas sang, "Dancin' in the Streets." Hope this link works.
http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=Au8koY1E0C77464tEaXcz8ybvZx4?fr=yfp-t-900-1-s&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&p=dancing%20in%20the%20streets%20video
Today I tried out the stitch in the ditch ruler, and my first attempt quilting with a curved cross-hatch ruler. Prior to this year--I've only owned one rotary cutting ruler for 20+ years. It was about time to start learning how to use rulers. They are fabulous and fun.

What advice would you give someone starting this project?TIP: I'm using specialty fine tip fabric pens called Frixion. They lay down a fine line and remain fine line, and don't bleed out to a larger line like the blue markers do. The Frixion pen lines disappear instantly when heat of an iron is applied. I love it--its a wonderful product. Frixion pens come in a pack of colors, black, blue, green, red, purple.
If you are using blue fabric markers, please know that sometimes blue marker doesn't completely wash away with water. Sometimes blue haziness reappears.
Here's what you must do. Put 12 oz. cool water into a spray bottle and add 1 tsp. baking powder. Shake it vigorously, and spray to remove the blue marker. The chemicals in the baking powder neutralize the blue coloring.

Oh, wow! Shoestring this quilting is fabulous! If you're just learning (as you claim) you must have been a quilter in a former life! I've been using the Frixion, too, and I love the way it disappears with heat! Finally, a marker that doesn't require soaking a new quilt in water!

Hi 2 strings. Thanks for your encouragement. I'm putting the peddle to the metal every chance I get to practice on the long arm machine. Fun, fun, fun.
I first learned how to quilt "meander" on my domestic sewing machine so I could make padded linings for handbags.
Since the long arm arrived last month, I've been practicing everyday. It reminds me of mowing the yard with a push mower and then upgrading to a riding mower. The beast moves really fast and if I'm not careful I mow over the tiny new pine trees Jon planted in the front yard recently. (oops, too much information).
So, I don't know if I was a quilter in a former life. I might have been a stone mason. I know it all goes together a piece at a time. I like the process. I like up-cycling materials for projects too.
Glad to hear you like the Frixion fabric marking pens. They are perfect for your applique work. I saw a demonstration at a show and was hooked. I think under my breath I said something like, "oooooo baby, where you been all my life?"